Baked Bison Sliders

The Details on These Bison Sliders

Feeds a crowd. If you’re in charge of feeding a crowd this Canada Day, this exotic Canadian meat dish of mini bison burgers will fit right into the menu along with my red and white themed Canada Day cheesecake in a jar.

Baked, not fried. Unlike other bison meatball sliders that are pan fried, these ones are baked, taking away some active time to enjoy these tiny sandwiches and adding more time for guests.

Not so greasy. The original sliders were called “sliders with a lid” because they were so greasy that they slid on the bun easily. Now, these bison sliders are not as greasy, especially since they are made with bison, but their miniature size will make it easy for them to slide into your mouth.

I also have these pulled pork sliders that are equally delicious!

Ingredients

• ground bison - Ground bison can be found at farmers' markets, specialty meat shops, organic markets and grocery stores.
• blue cheese - Pre-crumbled or you can crumble your own.
• red onion - You can substitute with yellow or white onion if desired.
• pickled jalapeños - These are optional but they provide a bit of kick to the sliders.
• eggs - To bind the meatball ingredients.
• slider buns - Brioche, whole wheat, sesame seed etc.
• mozzarella cheese - Its mild flavor and melting properties are perfect for these sliders.
• prepared horseradish - You can actually find wild horseradish in the same areas that the bison roam. You can also grow your own and use the root to make prepared horseradish. However, store-bought is what I use for this recipe.
• Worcestershire sauce - Enhances the savory, meat flavor.
• poppy seeds - The small seeds in the topping sauce add a nice, crunchy texture contrast to the soft, fluffy buns.

*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.

How to Make Bison Sliders

This recipe makes 12 sliders which is perfect for the whole family to enjoy or to serve at a dinner party or gathering!

Step 1. Make the meat mixture. Preheat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl combine the ground bison, garlic, blue cheese, onions, jalapeños, egg, salt and pepper (Images 1 and 2).

Step 2. Roll into meatballs. Roll the mixture into 12 meatballs and place them on a baking sheet (Images 3 and 4).

Step 3. Bake meatballs. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F (Image 5).

Step 4. Make the slider sauce. Meanwhile, mix all of the slider sauce ingredients together and reserve (Image 6).

Step 5. Prep the buns. Slice the slider buns in half (Image 7). Place the bottom half in a 9” x 13” baking dish. Spoon a little sauce on each bun (Image 8).

Step 6. Assemble the sliders. Top the buns with a meatball and another spoonful of sauce (Image 9). Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top (Image 10).

Step 7. Make the topping. Combine the butter topping ingredients together (Image 11). Place the remaining half of the buns on top of the meatballs and lightly brush them with the butter topping (Image 12).

Step 8. Bake. Transfer the bison sliders to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until golden and the cheese is melted. Let cool for a few minutes and serve!

Make-Ahead Preparations

• The sauce and butter topping can be prepared a day or two ahead of time.
• For the topping, just re-melt it before brushing it onto the sliders.
• Store the slider buns in the freezer and pull them out on the day of serving to thaw so that they stay fresh.
• The meatballs can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator, up to one day in advance, before baking.

Serving Suggestions

With all the spicy ingredients, I recommend a cool, sweet drink to pair with these sliders. One of the classic pairings of burgers and sliders are milkshakes.

If you want a healthier option, I recommend a virgin daiquiri or fruit smoothie. Strawberry is a classic but you can also go with my mango-pineapple smoothie or blackberry smoothie.

Recipe FAQs

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